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Guang Li Wanton Noodles @ Havelock Road

When I yearn for some really good wanton mee, this is my preferred hawker stall to go to but there is just one problem – it’s always a very long wait every single time I eat here.

Guang Li Wanton Noodles has been around for as long as I remember since I was a young kid. Situated at Blk 22A Havelock Road Food Centre, this noodle store is located in a corner of the unique L-shaped hawker centre.

Opened daily for just a bit more than 3 hours between 7pm till 10.15pm, Guang Li Wanton Noodles is run by a pair of sisters who for the past 10 over years (and probably more), held on to their same tasks since they started running the stall.

It’s a nightly occurrence to see the stall’s regular supporters to come before 7pm and started queuing to get a taste of the wanton noodles. Regulars would come by early before the opening hour, order their favourite noodles with the auntie and come back much later to collect the orders. Once the stall “officially” opens, a queue then forms and the waiting starts.

During my visit, I arrived at 7.15pm and there it was, already a long queue of patient regulars waiting for their orders. I then queued and waited for a good 30 minutes before I managed to dig in.

So what makes the wanton noodles here so desirable?

Dry Wanton Noodles ($2.50 / $3.00)

I ordered the dry, standard wanton noodles, mixed with chilli and the stall’s owner special sauce which never fails to put a smile on my face upon digging in.

For as long as I remember, nothing in the plate changes. Those smooth, tangy noodles accompanied with white and fragrant charsiew (roast pork) and lettuce leaf for the extra crunch. Generous serving of wantons are separated from the noodles , all in a bowl of soup. Noodles are cooked first in boiling hot water before transferring it into a big bowl of cold water for a very brief moment then back to the boiling to achieve that consistent, tangy texture.

To be very honest, you can definitely find better wantons out there but the highlight of this dish here is definitely the noodles and the sauces which compliment each other really well.

Fresh ingredients aside, it’s definitely the chilli and that who-knows-what’s-inside special sauce which the sisters came up with that makes me come back again and again and again.

Apart from the standard wanton noodles, you could also choose between the mushroom noodles, mushroom with charsiew noodles, and last but not least wanton’s larger cousin, the dumpling noodles. All noodle-based dishes are available in both $2.50 and $3.00 servings with the extra option to add noodles or vegetables from $0.50 – $1.00 onwards. Don’t fancy noodles? Do try out the stall’s horfun as replacementwhich is quite good too.

Dumpling Soup (from $2.00 onwards). Also available is the Wanton Soup.

ConclusionGuang Li Wanton Noodles is definitely a must-try for all wanton noodle lovers out there. The price is extremely reasonably (seriously, where can you find food for $2.50? Not many!) and in my opinion, the best item on the menu here would be the standard, dry wanton noodles with chilli. It might be a tad spicy for those who don’t regularly take spicy food but trust me, you will most probably love the noodles here to bits. As a regular here myself, I also recommend others visit the stall after 8pm when most of the dinner crowd have been satisfied thus the shorter queuing time. That is, if you can withstand that hunger.